Trench boxes, such as those used to protect workers during excavation or other construction work, generally include two or more sides with support members that create a work area and protect workers or machinery during the performance of various tasks in the work area. The trench box may be inserted into a dug-out or excavated hole, ditch, or trench in the ground or otherwise. The sides of the trench box, typically made from metal such as steel or aluminum, assist in protecting workers and machinery by preventing dirt, rock, construction debris, or other material from falling into the trench box. A trench box also provides protection for the workers within the trench box from cave-ins of the surrounding soil. In some trench boxes, the sides may include an inner wall and an outer wall with a hollow area between the two walls. In other trench boxes, the sides may be solid piece of metal.
Conventional trench boxes often utilize a conventional ladder leaning against one side of the trench box and extending into the trench box to allow workers to enter and exit the trench box. The ladder, however, must be removed before some machinery, such as an excavator, can perform its work in the work area. Furthermore, the ladder could be inadvertently damaged and/or removed while workers are still in the trench box, thereby preventing them from exiting the trench box. The construction manager may face fines from the Occupational Safety Health Administration or other government agencies for workers' inability to exit the trench box if the ladder is removed or not in proper working function.
Conventional trench box ladders must be transported from the site of the trench box at the end of the workday to prevent the ladder from being stolen or to use the ladder at a different location. The ladder may be damaged, lost, or otherwise during movement and/or while located in the trench box and require frequent replacement. Replacing lost or damaged ladders may be frustrating to construction managers and become a relatively high expense.
Accordingly, a need exists for a structure that can allow workers to safely ingress and egress the trench box that is within reach of the workers without interfering with activities in the work area. A need also exists for a structure that is not susceptible to being stolen or damaged by work performed in the work area. A need also exists for a trench box that provides workers with a non-removable system for entering and exiting the trench box to protect worker safety and decrease the susceptibility to fines from a government agency.